John Chrysostom Did Not View the Thief on the Cross as an Exception

There is an idea in Roman Catholicism and modern Orthodoxy that the thief on the cross was saved by faith alone, but it was extraordinary. It was an edge case; it happened one time, but it was purely an exemption.

But, I have to thank Brother Don Nesbitt, the Lord's bloodhound for this article. He indirectly led to it's existence. His youtube handle is @w46try7

"The thief on the cross is an exception to the general rule. He was literally dying in that moment alongside Christ. Catholics have a developed theology of "baptism of desire," and while we don't express it in as codified terms as they do, we generally agree with the sentiment.

The thief on the cross provides us an example of God's immeasurable love and mercy, that God can forgive and save even those of us utterly condemned by our fellow man for the deeds we have wrought. The thief doesn't give us a normative practice. The normative practice is given by Christ, to make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Why? Because he who believes and is baptized will be saved. This is the normative means of entrance into the New Covenant, as given by Christ Himself in the New Testament." - Orthodox online.

Did John Chrysostom believe the thief on the cross was an exception to the general rule? Not at all.

The most extraordinary thing about this is we have John Chrysostom mentioning the thief on the cross as an example.

There are two different translations with textual differences to this, so I will include either.

"Now I have said these things so that you may not think you were disadvantaged by what happened at the beginning. The devil cast Adam out; Christ brought the thief in. And consider the difference: the devil cast out a man who had committed no sin, but had merely a single stain of disobedience; yet Christ brought into Paradise a thief bearing ten thousand burdens of sin.

Is this, then, the only wonder, that He brought a thief into Paradise, and nothing else? There is yet a greater thing to tell. For He not only brought in a thief, but brought him in before the entire world, and even before the Apostles, so that none of those who come afterward might despair of entry, nor lose hope in their own salvation, when they see one filled with countless evils walking freely in the royal courts.

Yet let us see: did the thief display labors, righteous deeds, and good fruits? One cannot even say this! Rather, on the strength of a bare word, by faith alone, he leaped into Paradise before the Apostles, so that you might learn that it was not his own merit that had such power, but that the Master’s love for mankind accomplished the whole work.

For what did the thief say? What did he do? Did he fast? Did he weep? Did he tear his garments? Did he show repentance over a long period of time? Not at all! But on the cross itself, after the sentence was passed, he attained salvation. Behold the swiftness: from the cross to heaven; from condemnation to salvation! What, then, were those words? How great was their power, that they procured so many blessings for him? “Remember me,” he said, “in Your kingdom.” - John Chrysostom, Patrologia Graeca, Tomus LIV (54), PDF pages 237-238

And, the other translation with textual differences. The Catena Aurea.

"Here the condemned performs the office of judge, and he begins to decide concerning truth who before Pilate confessed his crime only after many tortures. For the judgment of man from whom secret things are hid is of one kind; the judgment of God who searches the heart of another. And in the former case punishment follows after confession, but here confession is made to salvation. But he also pronounces Christ innocent, adding, But this man has done nothing wrong: as if to say, Behold a new injury, that innocence should be condemned with crime. We kill the living, He raised the dead. We have stolen from others, He bids us give up even what is our own" - John Chrysostom, Luke 23:40-41 Catena Aurea (Golden Chain)

"Here then might one see the Savior between the thieves weighing in the scales of justice faith, and unbelief. The devil cast Adam out of Paradise. Christ brought the thief into Paradise before the whole world, before the Apostles. By a mere word and by faith alone he entered into Paradise, that no one after his sins might despair of entrance. Mark the rapid change, from the cross to heaven, from condemnation to Paradise, that you may know that the Lord did it all, not with regard to the thief's good intention, but His own mercy." - John Chrysostom, Luke 23:42-43

"And in the former case punishment follows after confession, but here confession is made to salvation."

"By a mere word and by faith alone he entered into Paradise, that no one after his sins might despair of entrance."

John Chrysostom taught that salvation was a two step formula. Believe and ask!

""By a mere word and by faith alone he entered into Paradise"

This is the same theology as his beloved teacher, Diodore of Tarsus.

"Necessarily he set forth 'those who call upon him.' For God does not give grace without discernment, extending it even to those who are unwilling to offer so much to the Benefactor as at least to ask and pray with him. And lest anyone say that many fail to call upon the Lord Jesus out of ignorance rather than unbelief and ingratitude, he shows through what follows that God took away even the excuse of their ignorance, sending evangelists and heralds who urge and invite them to ask for the gift. Therefore he added what follows."

And John Chrysostom loved his beloved teacher, Diodore of Tarsus!

"Diodorus came to Antioch in 386 or later, when St. Chrysostom was already a priest. In a sermon he spoke of Chrysostom as a St. John the Baptist, the Voice of the Church, the Rod of Moses. Next day Chrysostom ascended the pulpit and declared that when the people had applauded, he had groaned; it was Diodorus, his father, who was John the Baptist, the Antiochenes could bear witness how he had lived without possessions, having his food from alms, and persevering in prayer and preaching; like the Baptist he had taught on the other side of the river, often he had been imprisoned--nay, he had been often beheaded, at least in will, for the Faith. In another sermon he likens Diodorus to the martyrs: "See his mortified limbs, his face, having the form of a man, but the expression of an Angel!" - New Advent